Oops
by prouvaires
Summary: Another challenge response! Nate accidentally breaks Shane's arm. So what if he threw a brick? He didn't MEAN to hit him.


"Oh my God, Shane, watch out!"

Unfortunately for Shane he didn't get out of the way in time and the brick that Nate had thrown at Jason struck his outstretched arm and broke it. Nate clapped horrified hands over his mouth as Shane started to swear, clutching at his arm. He ran over to where Shane was standing, looking a nasty green colour. Shane glared at him as he arrived.

"Why the _fuck_ did you throw a brick?" he enquired through clenched teeth, absolutely livid.

"Jason was annoying me and …… well, it seemed … it seemed like a good idea at the time?" he tried hopefully, but Shane smacked him with his unhurt arm, swearing as he jolted the break. The stage manager rushed over.

"Quick, someone call an ambulance! Shane, let's get you outside. And Nate, I hope you feel incredibly guilty."

Nate didn't particularly. It wasn't like Shane had never hurt _him _before. There was the time Shane pushed him in the shallow end of the pool and he bruised the whole way up his leg; and the time they were on stage and Shane jumped off the piano and onto him, knocking the wind out of him and almost dislocating his shoulder. Then there was the time Jason forced them all to go horse riding together as a band-bonding session, and Shane managed to spook Nate's horse so thoroughly Nate was thrown off and broke his leg. And then when Nate had been hitting on a really cute blonde girl and Shane was getting chased by some girl he never called back the morning after, and he shoved Nate out of his way into a table so hard that Nate broke three ribs.

In fact, Nate was feeling rather pleased with himself for finally getting Shane back. But he _did_ look like he was in a lot of pain as he was led outside to the ambulance. Nate followed with his head hanging. As they moved outside, a wall of screaming hit them. Used to it, Nate didn't even bother covering his ears, knowing the piercing noise would just penetrate right through. The noise faltered as the girls – and a guy, Nate noted as he walked past, giving the boy an odd look – registered that Shane was hurt. Shane gave them a brave wave as he got in the back of the ambulance. Nate rolled his eyes and followed him in, sitting next to Jason on one of the seats. Shane was lying on the bed, his arm in a temporary sling as the ambulance set off, roaring through the busy streets of the city.

Jason chattered away to anyone who was listening as Shane tried to guilt trip Nate.

"And so that birdhouse I ordered off the internet ought to arrive any day now. I'm so excited because I'll get to see more birds in my garden, and their pretty singing is so nice to wake up to in the morning, especially after a party…"

"You would just _have _to throw a brick when we're due to go on tour in two weeks! No matter the consequences, you never stop to think. You just go right ahead and do what you want, like chucking bricks all around the fucking stage and seriously injuring innocent people. Where the hell did you even _find _a brick? I think you must have anger issues."

Nate didn't answer. There was no point. Once you got Shane started, there was no stopping him, much like Jason on the subject of birds. There was a reason Nate was considered the quiet one. He found it impossible to get a word in edgeways. So he just sat and thought as the ambulance wailed its way through the midday traffic.

His first thought was, _I don't have anger issues. Fuck him._

He mused further as Shane milked the injury for all he was worth, the paramedics leaning over him anxiously.

_Who the hell even needs an _ambulance _to get to hospital when they break their arm?! When I broke my leg – no, when _Shane _broke my leg they made me wait an hour to check it wasn't just a sprain, and then I had to ride in the boot on the way to A&E! Bastards. I hope Shane's arm gets stuck in a door._

_I hope _Shane _gets stuck in a door._

_Prick._

Nate was looking furious as the ambulance reached the hospital and the paramedics helped Shane to the main doors. Nate followed, his eyes blazing, refusing to feel even the _tiniest _bit guilty, no matter how much Shane tried to make him wallow. However, deep down, he knew that he did feel bad for causing his best friend pain. But, he wouldn't give Shane that satisfaction to add to his win on Guitar Hero. As the youngest of the group, Nate had to work hard to assert his authority, and kicking Shane's butt at video games was one of the requirements of that authority.

Several girls clutching at painful body parts brightened up spectacularly as Shane, Nate and Jason – plus various nurses – walked in. Shane smiled at them all as they stared, but Nate was in a slightly philosophical mood so he just watched them. He realised something he had never seen before – that the girls' eyes all seemed to slide right over Jason as though he wasn't there and fasten hungrily on Nate or Shane. This was the first time Nate had noticed that. His brow furrowed as he dropped back slightly to walk beside Jason, and the eyes fixed on him continued to gaze right through Jason. Nate glanced at his friend to find the older boy smiling sadly as he walked through the waiting area.

Nate and Jason were required to wait outside while Shane had an X-ray.

"Jason, dude," Nate began warily, not sure how to broach the topic.

"'Sup?" Jason asked cheerfully, leaning back in the chair he was sitting in, opposite Nate.

"Is it hard? The girls not seeing you?"

Nate didn't really bother trying to be subtle around Jason as it was mostly wasted on him.

"Sometimes. But I pretend like I don't care because it's easier for you and Shane if you're not worried about me and how I feel. After all, the oblivious are always the happiest, aren't they?"

Nate could only stare in wonder at him, amazed by his deepness. Then, of course, he ruined it.

"And if the girls noticed me I would have to get a girlfriend and my birds would miss me too much. Hey, Shane never made me my birdhouse!"

Nate grinned. "I don't really think he had enough time, dude."

"He had time to meet Mitchie," Jason grumbled quietly and then crossed his arms sulkily, settling down to wait for Shane.

The doctor eventually stuck his head around the door.

"You can come in now," he told them, and Nate and Jason hastened in.

"How d'you feel?" Jason asked in a rare moment of concern. Shane was sitting in a chair having his arm bound up.

"Like shit."

"So, Mr Gray, do you feel like sharing with me how you acquired this fracture?" The doctor asked, tapping a pencil against his desk. Shane nodded.

"Sure thing, Doc. Nate threw a brick at me."

The doctor turned to Nate in surprise. He held up his hands in protest.

"I wasn't aiming at him, he just stuck his arm in the way."

The doctor nodded and seemed about to say something when Shane butted in.

"You shouldn't have thrown the stupid goddamn brick in the first place!"

"Maybe if you watched where you were going you wouldn't have been hit."

"I shouldn't have to watch where I'm going because _you _shouldn't be flinging dangerous objects around!"

"It's not my fault your girl arm can't take a brick!"

"It's not my fault you throw like a bear with sight problems!"

"I do not throw like a bear with sight problems!"

"And I don't have girl arms!"

"Yes you do! Hence the fracture."

"It's _your _fault!"

"No it's NOT!"

"Baby."

"Jackass."

"Idiot."

"Ignoramus."

"Fu- wait, what?"

"Exactly my point!"

There was silence for a few moments. It was a furious, indignant silence on Shane and Nate's part and an astonished, awkward silence on the part of the other occupants of the room.

Then Nate muttered, "it's still not my fault," and everyone started laughing, Shane included. Nate could only stare at them in amazement as they cracked up. He threw his hands up in despair and left the room.

_People today._

**So, what did y'all think? Random, huh? Yeah, I know. I'm in that sorta mood. Okay, for any Brits out and about, did you see the X Factor semi-final? How GODDAMN cute was Eoghan when he started crying?! I was in tears myself.**

**Oh, and I now have my latest obsession: the TV show Life With Derek. You guys know it? Michael Seater is SO CUTE! *sigh* Anyway, outburst over. How about you leave a nice little review now? Just click the little button :D I love you guys!**


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